GOODBYE 2017…
Goodbye 2017; hello 2018!
Yes, it’s that time again! Matt Broughton asks the industry for its thoughts on the end of another eventful year, and an exciting 12 months ahead. Part 2 next issue.
Henrik Fagerlund Chief Product Officer, NetEnt
What do you think was the most important occurrence for the industry in 2017? The most important development is the continued focus on regulation both in, Europe and America. This means significant but positive changes for our industry and it’s a trend that will continue in the years to come. We see that the complexity for both suppliers and operators are increasing rapidly, so you need to have a clear strategy and extensive knowledge to tackle decisions on how to navigate this changing landscape. Another significant trend is the growing popularity of live games, and especially the increased focus on mobile live casino games. It is providing suppliers and operators with the impetus to dig deep and push the limits of what can be achieved with new technology to create an ultimate gaming experience. Live casino still has a lot of development
potential and the industry has only just scratched the surface of what can be done to customize the operator’s live casino and to personalize the player’s experience. The ability to leverage new technology to
create a richer and better experience when playing live games will be a key success factor going forward.
What were the biggest occurrences for NetEnt in 2017? This year, NetEnt has had a lot of focus on mobile live casino offering. In November, we launched a key product to complete our mobile portfolio, the Mobile Standard Blackjack.
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legendary franchise and that’s proven by popularity of the games. Planet of the Apes is a household name, with an iconic brand, and is hugely popular among a range of demographics. These franchises also all have a global following and have served as a strong marketing tool for NetEnt. The recent release of mobile first slot-game,
To ensure we deliver the best possible solutions to our customers and position ourselves as the player’s favourite mobile live casino, we have involved players in the design and development of our mobile products. The result is a live mobile experience second to none. The response has been fantastic from both operators and players, so this was certainly an achievement in 2017 that we are proud about, and more will soon follow. We also announced our first virtual reality slot game, Gonzo’s Quest, which was already a firm favourite, would pilot the venture and we’re readying its release in 2018. The unveiling of our branded game, Planet of the Apes opened a new world of gaming for our loyal customers, who are fans of this
Finn and Swirly Spin, was one of our most ground-breaking games to date, especially in 2017, with its unique spiral reels and innovative gamification features. It was a special production by our team and the game is a visual and design masterclass, which we’re very proud of. We also partnered with Ve Global, to offer iGaming media buying services to online casino operators worldwide. It is thought to be the largest data-collaboration of its kind in the iGaming sector. The partnership will reduce player acquisition cost and improve retention for online gaming operators worldwide, by creating a media buying platform that offers access to unrivalled audience intelligence and behavioural insights. On the technological side, the decision to be in the forefront regarding upgrading our slot games portfolio to HTML5 was a crucial move. With this we, helped operators to secure business from loyal player groups by enabling them the chance to keep playing their favourite games. We recently launched four more HTML5 upgrades of our classic titles: Dracula, Jackpot 6000, Excalibur and Spellcast, which are continued top picks by players.
What are you most excited about for the industry in 2018? It’s an exciting time to see live casino mobile expand so rapidly and to be part of the
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